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more personal observations and experiences, providing brief glimpses of events and encounters that reflect the excitement that those of us privileged to be in Ukraine during the inauguration will never forget. At the airport in Kyiv, I was met by Lila Hryhorovych who briefed me on our busy schedule for the day. Our first stop was High school #100 at 4 Pokrovska Street. Normally a quiet city street, it was, at one time, the center of many significant events in Kyiv's long history. A plaque on the wall of the school building notes that it is an “architectural monument of thirteenth and fourteenth centuries." The street on which the building stands is now named Pokrovska Street in honor of a church built in 1766. During the fifteenth cen tury the street was called Hnyla and Rizdvyana. Lila and I arrived at the school just in time for the opening of the “All Ukrainian Children’s Forum,” a celebration of the 15th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child. In the audito rium, a large sign proclaimed, “A country that hears its children.” The simple truth expressed in this message was corroborated by the 338 young boys and girls from almost every region of Ukraine who participated in the Forum. At the opening ceremony, many distinguished guests addressed those attending. One of the speakers was Lila Hryhorovych, who read greetings from President Viktor Yushchenko. Other speakers included Ukraine's Minister of Education and representatives from WHO, UNICEF, and other organization, all of whom congratulated the children and their teachers for organizing and hosting this special and unique event. The young people started their presentation with the following words: “We appeal to you to follow the rigorous plan for promoting healthy lives, providing quality basic education, protecting children from abuse, exploitation, and violence. The Convention on the Rights of the Child articulates the range of children’s rights and sets out the context in which children should live: in peace, dignity, tolerance, freedom, equality and solidar ity. As children of Ukraine, we want to be helpful in building a democratic, transparent country." During the four-day Forum, all of the topics addressed in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child were discussed. The young people participating in the Forum exchanged ideas, expressed their con cerns, described their vision of the future, and made recommendations for their country's leaders. The discus sions were recorded and presented to the newly elected president of Ukraine. Some of the statements read by the children show how well they prepared for the Forum and how well they recognized those social and po litical realities that affect their lives. One example must be included in this report: “We are asking for your help and support in protecting children’s interests in mass media, television, and films. We need moral and ethical censorship in children’s programs and dangerous and immoral advertising during the children’s programs. Social advertising should take the following under consideration: patriotism, culture, harmonious development, and a healthy way of life. We ask for access to information for all the children in rural areas and towns and dissemination of worthy information in press and other written materials." The children also asked the government to pay special attention to children with physical or mental disabilities or learning disorders, orphans, street children, and children in conflict areas. During the closing session of the Forum, Lila Hryhorovych presented the most active participants with a small token of appre ciation from Soyuz Ukrainok of Ukraine and the UNWLA. During my stay in Kyiv, Lila and I met with Iryna Holubyeva, president of the National Council of Women of Ukraine. She informed me about a meeting of the International Council of Women's European Center, which was held in Ankara, Turkey from January 18 to January 21. The next meeting of the ICW European Center will be held in Kyiv on May 26-29, 2005. In 2006, the General Assembly of the ICW will also be hosted in Kyiv. NCW Ukraine's exciting new role within the ICW is a tribute to the organization and its dynamic leaders. My one regret is that UNWLA delegates will not be attending the ICW European Center Assembly as observers—the event is scheduled at the same time as the UNWLA's XXVII Convention. I also had the opportunity to visit the office of the Ukrainian World Coordinating Council. UWCC President Mykola Horyn shared with me the organization's plans for upcoming events, including the Board Meeting in February and the Forum, which is scheduled for August of this year. Present at this meeting were Jaroslava Chrtiani from Hungary and Levko Dovzhenko from Slovakia, who had come for the presidential inauguration. Although much has been written and broadcast about the inauguration, I would like to share with you a single momentous event that was both historically and personally significant for me. During the ceremony, Viktor Yushchenko laid wreaths at Kyiv's monuments to Taras Shevchenko and Mykhailo Hrushevsky. From 14 “НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ЛЮТИЙ 2005 Видання C оюзу Українок A мерики - перевидано в електронному форматі в 2012 році . A рхів C У A - Ню Йорк , Н . Й . C Ш A.
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